Something About Nothing by Julie Seedorf

It is the season to be merry and jolly and happy. Ho! Ho! Ho!

It is a few days before Christmas and I took a few moments to ponder my holiday preparations. I have listened with interest when others have told me about the crabby and rude people they have met while out shopping. They wondered what happened to the holiday cheer.

I haven’t been out and about in the stores to test that theory yet. I have been enjoying the season. Recently we attended the Christmas Festival at St. Olaf College. By the time this is in print I should have been to the concert in Mankato by Home Free, and I have attended Christmas programs at churches.

I decorated my house minus the big tree because of the shysters. I listen to Christmas music on a daily basis. We helped fill grocery bags at Wells Marketplace Foods for the Wells Area Food Shelf.

I don’t have my Christmas cards out. I have a couple of gifts I need to make. I have a list of gifts to get for my grandchildren and kids and friends but I know where they are, and I know they will still be there when I get to the store.

This year our Christmas is going to be different because of changes in our family. Our schedules will not make it possible for all of us to get together until Jan. 31. That doesn’t bother me.

My husband and I will get to have mini-Christmases with each family over the next few weeks. We chose this way to celebrate so it doesn’t stress anyone out. The most important thing is that we all get together at some point soon.

Yet, this year, I am the most content that I have been in the Christmas season in a long time. I truly am in the mood. I can’t explain it except perhaps it is because I have let the season happen and enjoyed each step along the way without the trappings of the media making me feel guilty that I haven’t done what is expected of me at Christmas.

I didn’t bake. My husband is gluten-free, and although I love to eat the pretty cookies I don’t like to make them. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter and the other grandma do the baking. This year we only got a little bit of the goodies because according my granddaughter, “Grandpa can’t eat it, and Grandma is trying to eat healthier.”

She is right. She remembers the past few times I passed up the doughnuts at the coffeehouses and at her house. I used to feel guilty about the cookie baking and at least try, but this year I accepted that I never will be the cookie grandma.

It could be the lack of holiday cheer with some shoppers is the fact they don’t like to shop and they are too zeroed in to getting the best price for the best latest gadget so they don’t disappoint the people on their list. There are some hot toys and gadgets that are in high demand and hard to get. Shoppers are frantic it will be sold out. It could be that some shoppers actually don’t know the reason for the season.

I have friends that are of other religions that do not celebrate Christmas and I respect that fact. I also respect the fact that they join me in being happy I can celebrate mine. We respect each other’s differences. Maybe that too is the true meaning of Christmas. Peace on earth for all. Isn’t that we want? Isn’t that the feeling we are trying to get and to keep?

I want to thank you, my readers, for your support and wish you all a merry Christmas. I wish you the joy of knowing love. I wish you the peace of contentment in your heart.  I wish you strength to get through the hard times. I wish you courage to face your fears. And I wish you kindness that lets you know that you matter. Merry Christmas.

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” — Roy L. Smith

 

Wells resident Julie Seedorf’s column appears every Monday. Send email to her at thecolumn@bevcomm.net. Her Facebook page is www.facebook.com/sprinklednotes.